Milk

(2008)

Directed by

Gus Van Sant

Review by Terry Plucknett

Gus Van Sant proves in this latest film about the landmark activist elected to office, Harvey Milk, that he is much more than an art house director.  In fact, he proves that he is actually at his best when he brings his unique artistic eye to a mainstream movie.  This movie shows his genius at its best, as well as the brilliance of some of the strongest talent in the industry in one of the strongest casts of the year in one of the best movies of the year.

The story, from start to finish, centers on Harvey Milk, played brilliantly by Oscar-winner Sean Penn.  Milk is a 40 year old homosexual man in the 1970’s who moves to San Francisco with his lover, Scott Smith (James Franco).  When they arrive in the Bay Area, they find opportunities to make a difference in the lives of homosexuals in the area.  They develop lists of gay-friendly businesses and organize boycotts of those that are not.  Because of the efforts of Harvey Milk, homosexuals in San Francisco are able to establish their own neighborhood where they can feel safe from prejudice and police brutality.  Milk was not satisfied though.  He wanted more, and he started running for a City Supervisor seat.  After several losses, he finally became the first openly gay man elected to major public office in history.  When elected, he develops an interesting relationship with a fellow Supervisor and former cop, Dan White (Josh Brolin).  This relationship ultimately destroys White and culminates in the inevitable assassination of Milk.

The cast from top to bottom is perfect.  Sean Penn reminds everyone why he is considered one of the best actors of his generation.  From the first scene to the last, you see Harvey Milk on screen.  At no point do you see Sean Penn.  He completely dives into his character to produce the most memorable performance of the year so far.  This complete commitment is seen from every actor in the movie, from James Franco to the very talented Emile Hirsch to the disturbed Diego Luna.  The most fascinating character, outside of Milk himself, is Brolin’s Dan White.  The more I think back on the film, the more memorable he becomes.  He was a very subtle character that appeared composed on the exterior, but was tormented and conflicted on the interior.  This dichotomy made for a very real character and yet another great performance for one of the best actors working right now.

The movie was told in a very effective way too.  In one of the first scenes of the movie, they tell you about Milk’s assassination.  So from the very beginning, you know how it is going to end.  After this, it cuts to Harvey Milk sitting alone in his kitchen with a tape recorder where he is documenting his story in case he is assassinated.  This becomes the outline for the movie.  This worked so well as you were confronted with the inevitability of the end of Harvey Milk just as Harvey Milk was.  Knowing this at the onset puts you in the mindset of this being a tribute to what Harvey Milk was and what he did, which sets it apart from other biopics.

When walking out of the theatre, the word that came to mind to describe this film was beautiful, and this is due to Gus Van Sant’s brilliant direction.  His mainstream films like this and Good Will Hunting show that he is indeed one of the most talented directors in the business.  After his art films, you almost expect to see a 10 minute continuous shot of a rock or tree or something, but his mainstream movies never go there.  Where his direction can hinder his art movies, his subtlety in his direction brings about a beautiful product.

This film is a great story from a great director with a great cast.  Most importantly, it is a story that needs to be told because Harvey Milk is an important and influential figure in our history that many do not know.  This film is truly a beautiful tribute to him and his life.

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